In Which Momoshiro Turns into a Raving Lunatic
by Kyralea
Summary: Momoshiro has a plan to get Ryoma with a girl. Well, two. Ok, three...Momosempai, maybe you should give it a rest?
1. In which the seed of madness is planted

"She's a nice girl! And she's pretty!" Momoshiro tossed a flirtatious smirk in Sakuno's direction. "I don't see why you don't like her."

"My love life, or lack thereof is none of your business." Ryoma said blandly. "Now, let's get to practice before Tezuka-senpai has us run laps."

"Hey, get back-" Momoshiro grimaced. He looked back at the girl "He's an idiot. No idea how to treat a lady. Someone should knock some sense into him."

Sakuno smiled lightly. "I'm sure he'll learn." She said diplomatically.

Momo shook his head. "Someone would have to strap him down or force him on a girl before he'd admit he has hormones." His head shook slightly, watching him walk away. But his expression shifted rather quickly to something sly. "Well, watch this." He muttered. He grabbed the young Sakuno by the arm, surprising her into dropping her racket. She winced as she saw it hit the ground.

"Nani, Momoshiro-senpai?" she questioned in a timid voice, trying hard to keep up with him and his long stride lest he yank her arm again.

"I'll teach that insolent little twit how to treat a lady." He muttered.

"N-nani?"

Hey, Ryoma!" Momo shouted. Ryoma turned, looked back. He didn't get a chance to answer before Momo pulled Sakuno in front if him and pushed her forward. "Catch!"

Sakuno, being as lacking in grace as she is, and having been caught off guard by the push, tripped over her own feet and stumbled forward. She knocked into Ryoma, catching her balance slightly by grabbing his shoulders. She looked up, but she was still falling forward. Her head knocked his hat off as her mouth slammed into his.

She stood straight and backed up two steps, her hands covering her mouth. The small smack that had sounded when she pulled away gave away that it had turned into an actual kiss, it hadn't simply been an accident.

"Gomen-nasai, Ryoma kun!" She said in a small, frantic voice.

Ryoma wasn't paying attention. He was, interestingly enough, looking around behind him for his hat. Momo exploded.

"You ungrateful, arrogant littel swine!" He stalked around him so he could shout to his face. "No apology, no asking if she's ok, not even a blush! You're looking for your HAT!" He snatched up the hat before Ryoma could grip it. "I don't think you even HAVE hormones! You don't, do you? Is it even physically possible for you to blush?"

Sakuno had stepped tentivly between them, her hand held up a little, toward Momo. She was studdering something that might have been meant to calm him down, but partially out of her mouth, she saw that he wasn't screaming anymore. He was staring, mouth agape, at Ryoma. Sakuno spun.

The expression on Ryoma-kun's face was not horrifying, though it did shock her. Contrary to the words Momoshiro-senpai had been screaming moments ago, Ryoma did have a light pink flush covering his cheeks, though she was uncertain whether it was because of their accidental kiss, or from anger at Momoshiro, since his eyes were narrowed in a glare that would scare Kaidoh-senpai. Not quite sure why she was doing it, she reached behind her, took Ryoma-kun's hat from her senpai, and handed it back to him. She wasn't sure, again, whether he kept his eyes on Momoshiro out of anger at him, or embarrassment to meet her own.

He placed the hat on his head, pulled the brim low, and walked off.

Momoshiro-senpai stayed frozen for a few more seconds, worrying her. She was about to wave her hand in front of his eyes when his face contorted in a manic, gleeful, and most of all scary, grin. Sakuno felt like it would be a good time to run, but he had grabbed her wrist before she'd even lifted her foot.

"He LIKES you." He said, Sakuno supposed to her, since everyone had moved on, in a gleeful, and equaly terrifying voice.

* * *

A/N: Wrote this a looong time ago. Until about a month ago, I'd been caught at her backing away and apoligizing. I think this is a nice opening for any kind of story. If ya'll like it, please review! I don't know how to finish it. 


	2. In which Momo has too much sugar

"Momoshiro-senpai, why are we doing this?" Sakuno sat across from her sempai in a booth at a local restaurant after school. She'd changed into a light, comfortable sundress, and he braids were twisted up into buns. Despite her reluctance to be here, she was happy for the drink Momo-sempai had gotten her. It was an ice fruit drink, and a welcome respite from the unrelenting heat outside.

To make Ryoma-kun jealous." He said simply, glancing for the umpteenth time out the window.

"Why must we make Ryoma-kun jealous?"

"So that he'll realize he's a moron and ask you out."

Sakuno shook her head, dismissing for now the question of why Momo-sempai would even care that much. "And why do you think this will make him jealous?"

Momoshiro-sempai looked at her as though she'd donated half her brain to science. "Why, to see a woman one loves in the arms of another man-"

"I don't remember you saying anything about me being in your arms." Sakuno said as blandly as her sweet disposition would allow.

"Of course not, we're trying to convey the possibility of you being in my arms, as opposed to his."

"And you think he'll fall for it?"

"Of course he will." Momoshiro-sempai said, dismissing her skepticism with a wave of his hand, and leaned over to finish off his fifth ice drink.

Sauno glanced down at her own drink, still more than half full, and wondered how anyone, growing boy or not, could possible drink five glasses of these in fifteen minutes.

No sooner than she'd expected her sempai excused himself to use the restroom. She propped her head in her hand. How long was this going to take? She had homework, after all.

"You look bored, Ryuzaki-san." Sakuno quite visibly jumped, just barely catching herself so as not to scream. Ryoma had seated himself across from her, in Momo-sempai's seat.

Sakuno put a hand to her gasping chest, swallowed, glanced over toward the restroom, and said urgently to Ryoma-kun, "Ryoma-kun, you should leave. Momo-sempai is acting….strange, you probably don't want to run into him."

Ryoma-kun raised his eyebrow. "Strange how?"

Sakuno fidgeted. "He…He seems to want you to think he and I are dating. He said it was to make you jealous?" She couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes.

She heard him scoff. "After throwing you on me earlier today? Does he think I'll fall for it?"

Sakuno didn't get a chance to answer, a few moments later a voice from behind her asked, "Any sign of him?"

Her eyes flew open, resting on the seat across from her, which Momo-sempai was scooting himself into. "No…" She said under her breath, surprised at Ryoma-kun's sudden disappearance.

"Momo-sempai, what a surprise to see you here…" Sakuno's eyes flew to the side, where Ryoma-kun had suddenly appeared, for all the world like he'd only just shown up. Sakuno was beginning to wonder if she'd dozed off.

Momo-sempai's grin was verging on maniacal. "Why, Ryoma-kun," Sakuno wasn't sure if he could sound more scripted if he tried. "I'm simply enjoying a nice cold beverage with that sweet young lady I was talking about earlier today."

Sakuno thought she might have seen a shadow of a smirk ghost across his face before he said, blandly, "Really? Well, you two have fun, ok?" and strolled off.

Once out of earshot, Momo-sempai pounded his fists on the table, almost knocking Sakuno's drink over. "Blast it! It didn't work!" He sighed and stared at the table for a moment. Sakuno leaned over to nuge him, but he looked back up, his grin again present. "We'll just have to go to more extreme measures."

Inwardly, Sakuno groaned.

A little while later, Sakuno paused as she searched for the keys to her house in her purse. '_Why did Ryoma-kun sit down with me in the first place?'_

A/N: Well, I got some kewl responses, so I cudgeled up my poor, over-worked brain to present this piece of garba-ahem, _art_. Hopie ya'll likie!


	3. In which Sakuno meets Nanjiro

Sakuno sighed, gazing out of the second story window at the tennis match below. She had asked her grandmother if she could study in her office. It had a perfect view of the courts. Momo-sempai's latest 'plan' was to avoid Ryoma-kun entirely. He told her it would obviously lead him to believe she'd gotten over whatever feelings she may have had for him. She had blushed at the implication. Honestly, though, how would it be a _good_ thing for Ryoma-kun to believe he was free of her? It made her sad just thinking about it.

"Oi, you're not the old hag…" said a naturally annoying, obviously adult male voice from behind her. Sakuno levitated, she jumped so high, before she spun, blinking rapidly. She shouldn't let herself daydream like that!

The man was tall, with short dark hair, plain robes, bare feet, and piercing eyes that reminded her of Ryoma-kun. "G-gomen-nasai, I'm Ryuzaki Sakuno, where you looking for my grandmother?"

The man grinned, and she couldn't help but find him slightly charming, for all that he was probably three times her age. "Ah, so you're the granddaughter I've heard so much about. Stand up then, let me have a look at you, eh?"

Sakuno stood, obediently, and spun when he twirled his finger. "G-gomen-"

"You sure stutter a lot…" He muttered.

Sakuno swallowed. "Gomen, I don't mean to seem rude, but who are you?"

The man laughed, a full bodied laugh that makes one either want to join in, or smack the person laughing. "Now, if I told you that, my son would kill me."

"Why?" She asked. She leaned back against the window sill. The tennis match was coming to a close, but she didn't want to seem rude by paying attention to it rather than the stranger.

"He finds it embarrassing to be related to me." He grinned, as though he were proud of it, before snatching her grandmother's chair from her desk and plopping down in it.

Sakuno grinned as he set his feet on top of her grandmother's papers. "I couldn't imagine why." She said in good humor. He laughed again, the same sort of laugh, and she found herself joining in.

"So why are you all the way up here, if you want to watching kids play tennis….badly?" He smirked, and she grinned.

She shrugged. "It's supposed to be a secret."

"What, that they suck at tennis?"

Sakuno laughed. "No, that I'm watching. I'm not even supposed to watch."

"Why? Are you some sort of stalker-chick? Cause you know…I find that very attractive…"

Sakuno laughed again, but scooted a little farther away from him, just in case. The man noticed, and laughed harder.

"What's so amusing?" Came a voice from the doorway. The man fell off the chair, still laughing, and Sakuno glanced toward her grandmother, unable to wipe the grin from her face. And then she froze.

Ryoma-kun stood behind her grandmother, eyebrow raised. "Ryuzaki, what are you doing all the way up here?" He asked

Sakuno gulped. "Studying." She squeaked. The man's head poked up from behind the desk, his eyes damp from hysterical laughter.

Her grandmother made an impatient noise. "Nanjiro, you idiot, what have you been saying to my granddaughter?"

Ryoma-kun leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "I don't know why you allow him alone anywhere." He said, and his mouth twitched into almost a smirk as his eyes rested on Sakuno. She blushed.

"Oh, don't get your panties in a wad, you old hag, I'm just here to pick up my stupid son." He scratched his cheek as he walked out the door. Ryoma-kun pushed himself into a standing position and followed him. She should have known…

Sakuno debated with herself for about…oh…a millisecond before she grabbed her bag and dashed out the door to join them. She just hoped Momo-sempai didn't see.

"Um, Ryoma-kun? H-how did you do today?" She asked, keeping pace about a step behind him and to his side.

Ryoma-kun glanced at her, his expression verging almost on amused. "If you're curious about how I do in my matches, why don't you watch them?"

Sakuno blushed a deep shade of red, but Nanjiro-san answered the question before she could even think to form a good lie. Not that she lied well, anyway.

"Apparently, she's not allowed. But shhh, it's supposed to be a secret. I think one of the regulars filed a restraining order on her. It's always the quiet ones…"

Sakuno's cheeks were verging on a light shade of purple. Ryoma-kun glanced at her, his amusement, if there had been any, gone. "Momo-sempai, again?"

Sakuno glanced up at him, only slightly curious as to how he'd figured it out so quickly. Momoshiro-sempai wasn't exactly ninja about these plans of his.

Ryoma-kun confirmed her thoughts. "All day at practice today he was pointing out that you weren't there."

"Hey, Sakuno-chaaan," Nanjiro-san dragged out the suffix in what he seemed to think was in a cute way. "Are you hungry?"

"Why?" Sakuno asked immediately, her eyes narrowed distrustfully. Ryoma turned his head away and lowered the brim of his hat. Sakuno blushed, wondering if she'd embarrassed him.

"Because I am, and I don't have any money."

Ryoma's hand dropped and he glared at his father.

Sakuno laughed.

A/N: So….yeah…if it sucks….then I was high on sugar and lack of sleep at the time….if it rocks in stereo, it was my own raw genius and/or talents, either way, praise me.


	4. In which Sakuno wears Ryoma's clothes

"Ne, Sakuno-chan, how much conditioner do you usually use?" Questioned the kind-hearted girl sitting next to her. She blushed and looked away.

"Two or three handfuls, usually…"She said quietly, embarrassed.

The girl chuckled quietly. "Let's increase it to about four or five, ne?" She said, her eyes twinkling. Sakuno's tortured expression gave way to a small giggle.

O.o

"Eh, Ryoma? I hear you brought a girl home, today?"

Ryoma rolled his eyes. "And I thought I was being so sneaky about it," He said blandly, "Bringing her through the front door and all."

Ryoma was sitting at the table, lazily pretending to do his homework. His pervert father gave a lecherous chuckle and slapped him on the back.

"So you've reached _that _age, eh?"

Ryoma sighed and let his head drop to the table, with a small thump. "Oyaji, firstly, shut up." His father made a disapproving noise. "Secondly, I reached 'that age' two years ago. It just so happens that I'm not as much of a pervert as you."

His father plopped down on the couch, reading the 'newspaper'. "Cocky little bastard…" He muttered.

"I'm done!" Came the highly relieved sounding voice of Ryuzaki from the stairs. Ryoma looked up. Her hair was twisted up into a towel, her face (thankfully) was clean, and the precariously high heels were scrapped. The button down shirt from his school uniform still covered the much-too-small-for-her shirt she'd been wearing.

"Why are you still wearing that skirt?" Ryoma said bluntly.

His father laughed. It made him want to hit him. "That boy, he called _me_a pervert." He chuckled.

Sakuno blushed, looking down at the skirt. "Um, Naneko-san couldn't find anything of her's that would fit me.

His cousin stepped around Sakuno on the stairs. "Ne, Ryoma-kun. It's only a mini-skirt." Stepping behind the couch, she caught a glimpse of what his pervert father was reading. She gasped and tried to pull it away from him. "You horrible pervert! There's a young girl in the house! What is wrong with you? I'm burning it!"

Ryoma stood, ignoring the shouts of "Pervert" and "It's mine, you can't have it!" he pulled Sakuno the rest of the way down the stairs. "Sit down, I'll find you something to wear."

Sakuno nodded and sat, still blushing. Her eyes were glued pointedly at the table. Given her first and second impressions of Nanjiro-san, she _really_ didn't want to know what the 'pervert' was reading.

"Sakuno-chan?" She looked up, towards the doorway to the kitchen. Ryoma-kun's mother was standing there, with a towel in her hand. "Are you going to be staying for dinner?"

Sakuno's eyes widened. "Oh, I r-really wouldn't want to t-trouble you1" She stuttered out

She heard a laugh behind her. "It's too late, Sakuno-chan." Nanjiro said from behind her. She turned to look at him, bracing herself for whatever 'literature' he might be holding.

His hands were empty, and there was a glaring red mark on his cheek, where Naneko apparently slapped him. "I've already called the old hag, she said it was ok." He smiled at her, and she giggled.

"Oh, good." Said Ryoma-kun's mother. "What kind of food do you like, then, Sakuno-chan?"

Sakuno gasped and stood up, quickly. "No, I should help you prepare dinner, shouldn't I?" She said hurriedly. She tugged her skirt as low as she could before walking quickly towards the kitchen.

"Oh, no, Sakuno-chan, you're our guest!" she had her hands on Sakuno's shoulders, trying to steer her towards the couch.

"Hey," Sakuno paused in fighting Ryoma-kun's mother for entrance to the kitchen. "Here, you can tighten these, if they don't fit." Ryoma-kun handed her a pair of drawstring sweat pants.

Sakuno blushed and took them, bowing. "Arigatou." She started up the stairs, toward the upstairs bathroom, the only room she knew where she could change.

Nanjiro laughed, lounged on the couch. "Sakuno-chan is trying to beat down your mother's hospitality with her good manners." He said, reaching under the couch to grope for another magazine.

"Such a nice girl…" His mom said, heading back toward the kitchen to start dinner. Ryoma smirked before sitting back down to resume pretending to do his homework.

O.o

Sakuno reached the bottom of the stairs, her entire outfit from earlier folded up in her hand. She was wearing Ryoma's shirt, and Ryoma's pants. She felt like she was going to faint.

"You're going to burn those, right?" She looked over at the table. Ryoma-kun had his head propped up on his hand. He glanced at the clothes held in her hand. She couldn't tell if he was serious.

"Um, well, they're not mine, though…" She said. She reached to try and grab a braid, to keep her hand busy, but caught air. Oh, right, it was still twisted up in the towel…

Ryoma-kun's eyebrows furrowed. "Then who's are they? Not Momo-sempai's?"

Sakuno's hand flew to her mouth as she tried to choke down a laugh. "N-no, Ryoma-kun, they're Tomo-chan's." Giggling in spite of herself.

Ryoma-kun covered his face with a hand and shuddered. "Nani, Ryoma-kun?" Sakuno asked, worried.

"Uung, I just got this mental picture…loud-girl in a mini skirt is not something I want to think about." Sakuno laughed, and he smirked at her, dropping his hand.

Sakuno heard the sound of a pot against a hard surface and gasped. "Oh, I'm supposed to be helping!" She dropped the clothes near her bag and dashed into the kitchen, leaving Ryoma-kun at the table with his unfinished homework.

"She's sweet, Ryoma." Said his father, slyly.

"Shut up, Oyaji."

O.O

A/N: My gosh, this is so fun to write! I just spent the last few hours trying to get to sleep (really bad insomnia, no askie) and was day dreaming about this story, so finally I gave up and started writing this chapter. I know ya'll might be wondering what led to her getting her hair washed at Ryoma-kun's house, but it'll get kinda explained in the next chapter. I tried to write that scene, but no matter what I did, it sucked, and the flashbacks where even worse, so I'll just have the characters referance it in the next one.

Also, I was thinking maybe I should get a beta-reader? I'm not sure, is that just someone who reads your story before you post it, and fixes typos and tells you what sucks? Cause that's what I need. Cause I always add these questions at the end of my story (ie: Ryoma's cousin's name _is_ Naneko, right?) when I could just give it to someone who knows... (Erm, if you're interested, email me, please and thankies!)

PS: Lookit, I gave the chapters titles!


	5. In which Fuji joins in

Sakuno took in a deep breath, then let it out. If she could take this moment, freeze it, and carry it with her all day, ignoring everything else, it would be a perfect day.

Because, despite all the embarrassment of the afternoon the day before, the evening she'd spent at Ryoma-kun's house was wonderful. He'd actually gone out of his way to take her to his place, so she could have someone with _sense_ fix her hair and face. It was actually…sweet. It almost scared her.

He made her promise never to wear that outfit again, so she'd ended up leaving in the clothes he'd lent her. She'd debated with herself for a good few seconds upon rather or not she should wash the clothing so she could return them to him the next day, clean.

After much deliberation, (much) she decided against it. She was much much too tired to go through all that trouble, and in fact, she was so tired she probably shouldn't even change out of the clothes, and just go to sleep in them. (Yes, much too tired)

Considering how very very tired she was, she was surprised at how long it took her to go to sleep. Every time she shifted, the fabric of her borrowed clothes slid across her skin, and her entire body would shiver.

She was _still_ blushing from that.

Sakuno heaved a deep sigh. No matter how nice last night and this morning had been, she knew she had a long, long day ahead of her.

O.o

"Hey, Ryoma!"

Ryoma's entire body winced.

"Did you see Sakuno at all yesterday?" Ryoma turned to see Momo-sempai looking sly. He rolled his eyes.

"No, but you know, there was this one girl, I'm sure she was a runaway from some weird stripper-circus, she kept _claiming_ she was Sakuno."

…

Yeah right like he was really gonna say that out loud! Get real!

"Yes…" Came the reluctant reply.

"Looking pretty good, wasn't she?"

"Not really." Momo smacked himself in the face.

"If that's all, I have class." Ryoma turned to go, ignoring Momo-sempai's whimpers of anguish.

O.o

"**Sakuno-chaaan!**"

If Tomo-chan had been paying attention, she might have noticed Sakuno sigh in resignation, but she wasn't, and she didn't. "Sakuno-chan! How did it go, yesterday! I couldn't hear anything! Did Ryoma-kun take you out on a date?"

Sakuno paused. Should dinner at his house really be considered a date? "Not really…" She said quietly, trying to influence Tomo-chan to quiet down. After all, if Ryoma-kun wanted people to know about it, he'd be the one to tell people about it. She didn't want to upset him by starting horrible rumors.

Tomo-chan pouted. "Well, did he like your hair?"

"He really didn't say anything about my hair…" A very honest answer. He'd spend the first few minutes after first seeing her choking in a very suspicious manner. Not that she blamed him.

"Well, what about your outfit?"

"_Ryuzaki, you look _ridiculous _dressed like that…" _Sakuno cleared her throat. "Eh…He thought that it didn't suit me all that well." She said in the most diplomatic translation she could come up with.

Tomo-chan gave an exaggerated sigh. "Then I guess Momoshiro-sempai's plan to seduce him didn't work all that well, huh?"

"I'm sorry, Tomo-chan."

O.o

Shyuh…_wrong_.

Ryoma took a deep sip of his Ponta, watching the girls walk away from his seat in the tree.

True, she'd looked _utterly_ ridiculous in the state she was when he'd first found her. (He thought her description of his opinion was pretty amusing)

But with her face clean, and her hair down and damp and slightly messy, dressed completely in _his_ clothes…

Ryoma's hand twitched and he nearly dropped his ponta.

Maybe Momo-sempai's plan sucked out loud…

But seduction was accomplished.

Ryoma took another large gulp of his ponta.

O.o

"…Maybe if we stole his cat…"

"…We could stuff her bra with…"

"…Or maybe a rumor about…"

Sakuno's hands cradled her head, and she groaned gently into them. Did she really have to sit here for this?

"Momoshiro-kun? Tezuka-buchou would like to see you." Sakuno glanced up at the sound of Fuji-sempai's kind-sounding voice. She wasn't quite sure if trading Momo-sempai's company for that of Fuji-sempai was a really good idea.

"What were you three talking about?" He asked, as soon as Momo-sempai was out of earshot. Tomo-chan took a deep breath, as though readying herself for an excited and rushed explanation. Tomo-chan hadn't ever really been good at keeping secrets.

But she paused, and let out her breath with a cute little squeak. "Nothing, Fuji-sempai, why do you ask?" Sakuno almost laughed. Of all people for her to suddenly want to keep a secret from, she chose Fuji-sempai?

"Well, Sakuno-chan looked so distressed, I'd hoped maybe there was something I could say to cheer her up?"

Sakuno took a deep breath and swallowed, plastering a smile on her face. "Arigatou for worrying about me, Fuji-sempai, but I'm fine."

"Well, if you're sure you're alright…" Sakuno nodded vigorously. "Then perhaps you wouldn't mind my asking, whose bra where you planning to stuff?"

Sakuno blushed as Tomo-chan paled. Tomo-chan looked at her, then glanced around quickly before dragging Fuji-sempai to the seat next to her.

"Ok, so here's the thing…"

O.O

A/N: Certainly not my best written peice of ahem _art_...I think I did a decent job with Ryoma's thoughts about Sakuno the night before. At first I had him thinking them when he got confronted by Momoshiro-sempai, but if you think that part doesn't blend well now, you should have seen it with all the flashbacks. I hate flashback...Oo Gosh this is such a fun story, huh? I'm not sure what Fuji is gonna be doing, though. I just know he's fun. The only regular who I think is more fun is Eiji. He's so CUTE!

PS: No one wanted to be my beta reader? I'm so sad!


	6. In Which Momo Cries Like a Little Sissy

"You saw _what??_?"

Oishi winced at the volume of Momo's voice. "I don't see why you're getting so worked up about this…"

"This can't be _happening_!!!" Momoshiro was no longer paying any attention to his sempai; his hands were now clutching his head while he paced in circles in the grass.

"Hey, what's going on, nyah?" Eiji bounced up next to his best friend. He stared, confused, at the supposed mental breakdown of one of their regulars.

"The day had been going so well!" Momo whimpered. He'd done well on his test, gotten a free period right before lunch, and to top it of, he had beaten Mamushi in a practice game less than an hour ago. How could this be happening?

"I wonder what this is all about…" Muttered Inui, appeared suddenly out of nowhere, his notebook and pen, like always, in hand. He scribbled as Momo curled himself into a fetal position, sucking his thumb and crying.

"I don't know, all I said was-"

Oishi heard a faint hiss to his right, and looked to see Kaidoh leaning against a nearby tree, with an almost triumphant expression, watching the whimpering Momo.

"I told him-"

"What's the matter with Momo-chan?" Kawamura emerged from behind the crowd of regulars. Someone handed him a racket. Immediately his booming voice shouted "BURNING! Enough whimpering like a little sissy girl, get up and let's play some TENNIS!!!!"

"Listen, he asked me if I'd seen Sakuno-chan anywhere, and I told him I had seen Sakuno eating lunch with Fuji, and he flipped out!"

Save for Momo-chan's whimpering silence befell the regulars.

"You saw Sakuno with _who_?" Everyone turned. There stood Ryoma, ponta in hand, racket under his arm, but looking completely ruffled. Oishi sighed.

"Why is everyone making such a big deal out of this?"

Eiji pouted. "Nyah, Oishi, didn't you know Momo-chan was trying to set Sakuno up with Ochibi?" He asked, his arm slung around his friend's shoulders.

Ryoma glared at Momoshiro, who had pulled himself together well enough to stare in shock at Eiji, who had somehow managed to realize his master plan.

Gleefully, Inui turned a page and began furiously scribbling, eyeglasses glinting.

O.o

"Thank you for lunch, Fuji-sempai." Sakuno smiled up at her sempai. "And thank you again for walking me home." Sakuno stood with her hand on the handle of her door. Fuji stood a step away, his hands in his pockets, with a smile that made Sakuno a little edgy.

"It was my pleasure, Sakuno-chan. I hope you're feeling better."

"Oh, yes, very much so."

"That's good to hear. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow." Fuji smiled down at Sakuno. One of those mysterious smiles that left Sakuno _knowing_ he was thinking of something sinister, but without a clue of what it could be.

Without a word he leaned down and kissed her gently on the cheek.

Sakuno blushed a dark pink, her hand clenching the doorknob like a life line. Her free hand reached up to touch the spot that he kissed, her expression pure shock.

"Goodnight, Sakuno-chan." Fuji smiled again, and turned to walk down the path from her house, turning a corner to disappear.

O.o

A/N : It's ridiculously short, and the beginning is simply ridiculous, but I wrote it, it's written, and there you go. I didn't think so many people would like this story so much! I didn't even know it had the makings of a story. I apologize for how long it took me to write this short piece of garbacough art, pardon, I have a decidedly short attention span, and got myself interested in alternative series'. I hate leaving things unfinished though, so I hope to get this entire story done before I lose interest again.

(PS: Thanks so much to Chibi-Kari for Beta reading, and Akuru-Hime for helping as well! )


	7. In Which Ryoma loses his temper

"Fuji-senpai, what were you doing with Sakuno last night?" Ryoma was never one to beat around the bush.

Fuji and Ryoma stood less than ten feet from each other, standing halfway between the tennis courts and the locker room. The rest of the regulars pushed at one another to get a better view from behind the fence dividing the courts with the path, watching intently. As Fuji turned to face Ryoma a certain ambiance filled the air, if only there was a slight breeze and a tumble weed it would have been a western duel.

"Sakuno? You're being awfully familiar with her, Ryoma-kun." He said quietly, his evil smile ever present as if to mock the static Ryoma.

"Just answer the question." The younger boy growled.

"Could it be that, after that accidental kiss earlier this week, you've been harboring a bit of a crush on little Sakuno-chan?" Fuji asked, deceptively sweet.

Ryoma practically rippled with rage. "First of all, we didn't kiss. She punched me in the mouth with her mouth."

"Oh, of course," Fuji mocked.

"And secondly, it's not of your business if I have any kind of feelings for her-"

"But it's your business what_ I_ do?" Fuji's eyes were open, with the slightest glare tinting his expression. His evil smile was gone, replaced by an even more sinister frown.

Ryoma's fists clenched. "Just leave her alone." He ground out.

"I will do no such thing." Fuji's expression held, but he spoke normally. "If I decide to date Sakuno-chan, she'll be the only one to tell me I can't." His voice lowered an octave. "And I'd _love_ to see you try to stop me."

O.o

"Sakuno, did you hear?" Tomo jumped over the back of the couch Sakuno was sitting in, doing her homework, and landed right next to her.

Sakuno jumped, slightly startled. "U-um, no, Tomo-chan, what did you hear?" She asked distractedly, searching between the cushions for the pencil she'd dropped in her surprise.

"Ryoma-sama and Fuji-senpai got into a fight right outside the tennis courts!"

Sakuno's head snapped toward her friend, her pencil forgotten. "A fight? Ryoma-kun?"

"Yeah, with Fuji-senpai! And guess who they're saying it was about?" Tomo seemed even more excited.

Sakuno, of course, was speechless. But that was never a problem for her loquacious friend. "They're saying it was about you!" Tomo exclaimed gleefully, bouncing up and down on the couch. Sakuno turned bright red. "Apparently, Ryoma-sama was crazy jealous that you went on a date with Fuji-senpai!"

"Oh, no, it wasn't a date!" Sakuno tried to tell her friend, but Tomo was too excited.

"And Ryoma-sama was like 'You stay away from her', and Fuji-senpai was like 'I'd like to see you make me!' and then they got in a tennis match, and Tezuka-senpai had to break it up!"

"A…tennis match?" Sakuno was bright red, but Tomo still wasn't paying attention.

"Yeah, a tennis match! I mean, you know how Ryoma-sama is only this one was like really fierce, and…Sakuno-chan, are you ok?"

Sakuno was, of course, still blushing, and she was staring off into space. Tomo waved her hand in front of her friend's face, and Sakuno snapped out of it. She looked at Tomo for a second, the stood and ran up the stairs to her room.

"Sakuno-chan! Where are you going?" Tomo called up the stairs.

Sakuno appeared a few seconds later, carrying a large bag, slipping her shoes on as she went.

"Um, I've got to go, Tomo-chan. I'll see you tomorrow, ok?" Sakuno called over her shoulder before running out the door.

O.O

A/N: The first of the last three chapters. I kind of wrote them all at once, and if I didn't really like the different names for each of them, I'd probably have piled them together. Big hugs for Chibi-Kari for beta-ing for me! So totally awesome!


	8. In Which Sakuno loses her temper

Sakuno stood in front of Ryoma's front door. Her hand poised to knock on the door, but her eyes stared off into space. As she was about to knock, she could hear a loud grunt blending with the sound of a tennis ball hitting a racket. This was followed by a similar blend of sounds, save for the grunt being about an octave lower. The sounds drifted from behind the house, surely from that tennis court she'd seen when she'd last been here. And that first grunt had defiantly been Ryoma. And if Ryoma was playing tennis in the backyard then there was no point in her knocking, since he _is_ the one who she had come to see…right?

But who was he playing against?

Judging by the loud heaved grunts from both parties there was far too much effort behind the other person's return for it to be his father. So who was he playing so heatedly against?

She didn't have to wonder for long because as she turned the corner she saw for herself.

Her eyes were drawn almost involuntarily toward Ryoma. She could hardly help it, he was quite a sight. He still wore the same white tee-shirt from practice, but now it clung to his form. Because Ryoma was completely and totally _soaked_. His shirt was utterly transparent and it clung so well to his body; it might as well not even have been on him. So of course you can understand why it took Sakuno quite a few moments to tear her eyes away from her long-time crush, to see who on earth the boy was playing.

Fuji-senpai leapt, trying to reach a deep shot, but it shot past him, bouncing up to hit the bell behind the court with a resounding **_CLANG_**!

Ryoma stood with a hand on each knee, panting. "You don't even like her," He managed to choke out. "You just took her out to get a rise from me."

Fuji-senpai pulled himself to his feet. "I seem to be succeeding, aren't I?" He grinned with barely veiled triumph. Apparently he was a bit too winded to be truly manipulative.

"Maybe you are, but I'll make you regret it." Ryoma finally straightened.

"I kissed her, you know."

Ryoma let out something akin to a growl, and dug in his pocket for another tennis ball.

"You've got to be kidding me." Her voice was barely over a mutter, but both boys spun to see Sakuno with a look on her face that, if she'd been any other girl, might be classified as a glare. Ryoma, to his credit, looked away. Sakuno couldn't tell if he was blushing, he was so flushed from the tennis match. However, Fuji's face did little to hide his thoughts. He was smirking without restraint. Exactly how tired must he be?

"You two can't really be serious!" Sakuno's voice was actually raised, something completely unexpected from the small girl.

Ryoma didn't seem to take too kindly to being yelled at. He snapped his arms out, his left looking like it would throw his racket to the ground, but he simply clenched both hands into fists. "Why were you eating lunch with him?" He jabbed a finger towards his senpai, who had regained a bit of his composure and was simply smiling.

"Because he asked me!" Sakuno replied honestly. Ryoma let out an exasperated noise before stalking back into his house. Sakuno watched him go before spinning back around to stare at her senpai. The look on her sweet face was so sad and angry, and just thoroughly frustrated that even the most heartless man would feel shame for himself for putting a look like that on her face.

Unfortunately, Fuji was just a bit worse than that. Unfortunately for _him_. After all, hell hath no fury like a woman severely pissed off.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Her expression conveyed a bit more anger than before. "Do any of you people have lives of your own? What makes you think that you have to butt into other's lives at all hours of the day?"

Needless to say Fuji was quite taken aback at this timid soft spoken girl yelling at him. His smile faltered a bit. "Do you honestly think that boy would have done anything? Would he have even noticed you if all this hadn't happened?"

Sakuno stomped her foot, her fists clenched at her sides. "Yes! I do! I really do!" You have to understand, poor Sakuno had had a very rough week and however patient and sweet a girl might be everyone has their limits. "Besides which, it's _really _none of your business!"

Fuji opened his mouth, as though to try and say something but Sakuno cut him off. "No. You know what? This week I have been thrown around. I've had to go on a fake date with Momo-senpai. I had to miss an entire tennis practice. I've had to endure countless plots to _trick_ Ryoma-kun into liking me. And probably worse of all, the other day I was made to dress in skin tight, barely there clothes, so much makeup caked on my face it may as well have been a mask, and my hair teased to the point that I honestly thought I'd have to cut it off." Sakuno's eyes were over-bright, as though she was fighting back tears, but she kept going. "I'm done playing your game, alright? If Ryoma wants to date me it's his decision, and absolutely _none of your business!_"

The tears finally won, and she covered her eyes with her hands and turned around, not wanting him to see. She brought her sleeves up to trying and dry off her face. "And for future reference, I'm not the least bit interested in dating you, so don't get anymore clever ideas." Her voice had lost quite a bit of its edge, now sounding more sad and tired than anything else. Her eyes dry, she pressed her cool fingertips against them to try and help the hotness from her sudden outburst.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed before she heard, "Sakuno." Not timidly, not softly, not a question. Just her name. Her head shot up.

Ryoma stood in the door way, an arm resting on either side. And however much he'd tried to mask it, he still looked utterly shocked. Sakuno gulped.

"You heard all of that, didn't you?" Her voice had a kind of whispering plea to it. The kind of tone you hear from a small child who'd been caught doing something wrong.

Ryoma nodded, but he was smiling, almost smirking. He bobbed his head to something behind her, the bag she'd brought with her, but dropped during her outburst. "What's that?"

Sakuno turned to see what he meant. Behind her, Fuji-senpai was nowhere in sight. She bent slightly and picked the bag back up. "Um…" She turned back toward Ryoma, her eyes turned fixedly to the ground. "It's the clothes you lent me."

"I didn't really expect you to bring them back." Sakuno hadn't looked up to see his expression, but he sounded a little amused. She scuffed her toe on the ground.

She heard him shift and looked up. He was heading back inside. "Come on." He called over his shoulder. "I'll get you a drink."

Sakuno blushed a deep red, but happily followed him inside.

O.O

A/N: Second to last chapter, another giant hug to Chibi-Kari. (Who is totally right about my problem with comas, it's been mentioned before…#.#) One more to go!


	9. In Which Ryoma gets frisky

"Where is everyone?" Sakuno asked timidly. She was sitting at the table, seemingly terrified of interacting with anything besides the chair and her drink. Ryoma lounged on the couch across the room. He had changed clothes having finally realized that part of the reason Sakuno was blushing and staring so fixedly at him might just be because his shirt was an interesting shade of transparent.

"I actually have no idea. They were gone when I got here."

"Well, didn't they leave a note or something?" She began to glance around, as though the note would appear in the air around her now that she'd mentioned it.

"They probably did…" Ryoma paused. She'd started staring at her hands again. He made an exasperated noise. "Sakuno, why are you so embarrassed?"

She jumped. That was the second time he'd said her name! "Um…I lost my temper…"

"I know, and then you defended _me_, even though it's been you having to deal with the brunt of this stupidity." Sakuno blushed a deep red. "You didn't honestly think I'd be _mad_ at you, did you?"

Sakuno still stared at the hands holding her can of soda. "Not _mad_, exactly…I just don't see how you could like me very much, when I acted like that."

"Why on earth not? That's probably the first time since I've known you that you came even close to speaking your mind." He stood, walking to the table to sit next to her. She seemed to shrink into herself.

"Sakuno…" His voice was low, almost soothing.

It was probably the tiniest voice he'd ever heard, "Why do you keep saying my name?" she squeaked out.

He placed a hand on hers. "Sakuno…" He repeated, embarrassed to feel heat creeping onto his cheeks at what he was about to say. "I…think I'd like to date you."

Sakuno got a look on her face like she was choking, though what on would certainly have been a mystery. She looked up at him with the widest eyes he'd ever seen. And she might have responded with a 'Why?' or 'What?' or maybe even a 'Are you kidding?', if her mouth weren't very quickly made busy with something else.

Ryoma's hand slid to her neck, pressing her closer. He liked the kiss/face punch from earlier that week, but he quickly realized that most of the feelings he'd have felt kissing her were, at the time, greatly dulled by embarrassment and pain. There was no embarrassment, and certainly no pain now, as his lips slid gently against hers, soft and supple and warm. It felt like waves of heat blossomed from where their lips met, to grow and intensify as they traveled along his spine, to encompass his entire body. The feeling only grew when her hands traveled up to wrap themselves around his neck.

His other hand pressed against her back, his mouth pressing suddenly roughly against hers. He didn't understand how he could feel so overwhelmed by the feelings coursing through him at a simple kiss, and yet want more so badly. It didn't really make sense. He felt like the very fabric that made up his being was about to unravel from kissing her. Why on earth did he want more? But he did. He really, really did.

His lips parted slightly, just barely letting himself taste her lips. How on earth could anything taste that good?

She responded easily, parting her lips as well, and pressing herself deeper into his embrace. She let out the tiniest whimper when his tongue slid gently between her lips, and Ryoma felt his eyes roll back behind his eyelids. How could anything _sound_ that good?

But suddenly she was pulling away. He tried to follow her, put she brought a hand forward to press on his chest. It was only after she finally broke their kiss that he heard noise drifting from the front entryway.

"Oi, boy, are you here?"

Ryoma groaned inwardly. Of all the times for his parents to get home…

"Oh, hello, Sakuno-chan!" Nanjiro grinned. "What are you doing here?"

"I…" She faltered. Why was she here again? "…came to bring back Ryoma-kun's clothes."

"I don't think he really expected you to give them back…" Nanjiro muttered. Sakuno picked up her drink and took a sip, trying to hide her smile. Ryoma just rolled his eyes.

"So, Ryoma…" Nanjiro began, a sly tone leaking into his speech. Ryoma sighed a long, suffering sigh. "What where you and Sakuno-chan doing before we got in?"

Ryoma smirked. "Making out."

Sakuno choked, her hand raising to her chest.

"That's my boy!" Nanjiro grinned as he pumped an arm in the air.

End

A/N: Then end! Yay! This is just the official ending, I might make en epilogue, or maybe a choice one-shot or two based on this one series. (Which will of course be beta-ed by the kewlest girl on the planet, miss Chibi-kari! Squee She compliments me. I do like deh compliments!) It was so much fun to write! And I'm sorry to those who really liked it that it took so long. Hugs, everyone!


	10. In Which Sakuno wears a tiny sundress

Sakuno ran into Ryoma's room and slammed the door behind her, a panicked expression on her face.

Ryoma didn't even glance up from his homework. He and Sakuno had been dating for a few months now, so he was pretty used to her dashing into his room without warning.

"Your dad's in rare form today…" Sakuno said, a little breathlessly.

Ryoma smirked. "You're the only person I know, besides my mother that can tolerate him. I don't know how you do it or why, but it's one of the most impressive things about you." He set his notebook beside him on the bed and looked up at her.

She was standing with her back pressed against his door, as if terrified his dad would walk in brandishing a porn magazine.

(One of the few things that made Sakuno run from his father was his unruly habit of trying to show her the girls in the magazines. He says it's because the articles are interesting, but Ryoma had a sneaking suspicion it was because of the adorable noises of terror Sakuno would make.)

Summer was hardly over, and it was still pretty hot outside. So Ryoma was hardly surprised that Sakuno was wearing a sundress. He was surprised, however, at how revealing and flimsy the dress was. Light pink with white flowers, the hem of the dress came well above her knees, and the neckline well below her collar. The straps were flimsy and thin, and with a sudden flush (from both anger at the thought, and embarrassment from it) he realized that she probably wasn't wearing a bra.

Ugh, gaw, he was as bad as his father.

He finally looked up to her face, and saw that she was grinning. He narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, shut up…" He muttered.

Sakuno laughed out loud, and ran to bounce onto the bed next to him.

She flung her arms around his shoulders and laid her head on his shoulder. "So, you like my dress then?"

Ryoma looked down at her, smirking. "That dress is _shamefully _revealing. You should be ashamed of yourself for going out in public in such a shameful dress." He said seriously, before tackling her and kissing her thoroughly. He pulled back with a smirk. "I like it." He said.

Sakuno giggled, but was cut off when he kissed her again.

And then again.

And so on.

Of course, the horribly inappropriate make-out session (as Sakuno loved to call them) ended much too soon (as, in Ryoma's opinion, they often did) when Sakuno broke out in a fresh fit of giggles.

Ryoma pulled away and frowned down at her. Sakuno's face contorted, as though she was trying to look apologetic, but it didn't hold and she burst out laughing again.

"Should I ask?" Ryoma asked blandly.

"I was just thinking…" Sakuno said, her voice shaking from suppressed laughter. "Your dad has a _lot_ of dirty magazines."

Ryoma raised an eyebrow. The thought that his dad's porno collection, of all things, would enter her mind while he was kissing her wasn't a happy thought.

"And he has them hidden…like…_everywhere_." She continued, still choking down giggles.

Ryoma's eyes narrowed. He rolled off of her and sat up. "So?"

Sakuno took a deep, calming breath (though it didn't do much good). "So, what if he's hidden some in here?"

Ryoma's eyes widened. "He hasn't." He said sharply.

Sakuno bit her lip to keep from grinning. "But what if he has?"

Ryoma glared down at her suspiciously. She'd propped herself up on her elbows, a position that did nothing to calm his hormones. "I don't know, what if he has?"

Sakuno grinned up at Ryoma, her eyes twinkling. "Have you read any of your dad's magazines, Ryoma?"

"No." He said it blandly, but quickly. Sakuno's smile didn't falter.

"Are you sure?"

"I think I'd remember."

"Because…" Sakuno shrugged. "You take after your dad in Tennis, you know? So-"

Ryoma cut her off. "I don't take after him in tennis, because I'm better at it than him. And I do _not_ read his magazines."

Sakuno bit her lip, but she was still grinning.

Ryoma glared. "Stop looking at me like that."

Sakuno sat up. "Oh, come _on_ Ryoma! Your dad's dirty magazines account for, like, at _least_ twenty percent of this house's structural stability! There's no way you haven't at least _seen_ one of them!"

"Seen, maybe; read, no. And you seem awfully interested in my dad's reading material."

"Only as it pertains to you!"

Ryoma ignored her. "Maybe I should get him to show them to you." He made for the door.

"Ryoma, no! That's _not_ funny!" She jumped between him and the door. He lifted her up and moved her out of the way, but he was grinning.

"Hey, oyaji!" He called loudly. Sakuno squealed and tried to cover his mouth. "What was that you said about a swimsuit edition this month?"

Sakuno squealed again. "Ryoma, no!"

He jumped away from her and opened his door. "Sakuno wanted-" He started to say. The rest of his words were muffled, however, when Sakuno pounced on him.

"I cannot _believe_ you! Don't you dare!" Sakuno squeaked out.

Ryoma looked up at her with an oddly satisfied expression. It was then that hse realized she was straddling him.

In her teeny-tiny, flimsy sundress.

In the middle of the hall.

She turned a deep shade of red, and leapt off of him. And then took a few steps back when he continued to stare at her legs.

Ryoma sat up and smirked up at her. "I don't read the stupid things, because I don't _need_ to read the stupid things." He said quietly, looking at her pointedly.

Sakuno blushed an even deeper shade of red.

* * *

A/N: I haven't a clue when the last time I wrote a fanfic was, but I would guess at _least_ six months. But _so_ many people read this, and commented and reviewed, and added it to their favorites and added it to their alerts, I just felt so flattered and happy that I wanted to add something to it. And so I re-read the story, and this scene with Sakuno being all playful, and the words "Your dad's porn accounts for 20 of the house's structural stability!" while Ryoma kept walking away pretending not to hear her entered my mind, and I decided I had to write it. And I personally think my writing as improved dramatically, and I hope it continues to do so! .

Aaand, now that I have finished my book (That's right, I was writing a book, and it's finished!) I might be posting a little more often for the next month or so, for to keep writing some form of story while I'm making query letters to literary agents. I don't feel right when I'm not writing, and besides, now that I'm getting to be a better writer, I don't want to lose my new skillz .

But hey, if you're a real fan (shyuh, right Oo) keep an eye out here and on my blog. Once I'm published, I'm _sure_ to be posting it everywhere. . ( Shameless plug)


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